NHS doctors are reporting a significant increase in children and young people attending A&E units in England due to mental health crises. Analysis by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) shows a 36% rise in six to 17-year-olds presenting with issues such as self-harm, eating disorders, or emotional distress between 2019 and 2025.
In 2025, there were 75,491 A&E attendances by children and young people for mental health concerns, up from 55,525 in 2019. The largest increases were observed in children aged six to nine. This rise far exceeds the overall 8% increase in A&E attendances during the same period.
Some of these young people faced waits of over 12 hours in A&E, with more than 6,200 (around 8%) experiencing such delays in 2025. The RCPCH stated that emergency departments are not the most suitable environment for these cases, but a lack of community support often leaves families with no other option.
Dr Sam Jones, RCPCH officer for mental health, highlighted the absence of wider mental health care and crisis support in many areas. Dr Mark Buchanan of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine noted that children in mental health crisis are ending up in A&E by "default."
The government has indicated it is working to improve services and plans to publish a new mental health strategy later in the summer. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman mentioned ongoing improvements, including investment in school mental health teams and over 150 new community mental health hubs.